Season Lineup

The Dustbowl Revival

September 28, 2018

Cosponsored by The Gryphon Theatre

Over the past few years, The Dustbowl Revival has been making a name for itself with a vibrant mix of vintage Americana sounds. Critics have proclaimed that this eclectic eight-piece “would have sounded utterly at home within the hallowed confines of Preservation Hall in New Orleans' French Quarter” (Los Angeles Times) and their “upbeat, old-school, All-American sonic safaris exemplify everything shows should be: hot, spontaneous, engaging and, best of all, a pleasure to hear” (L.A. Weekly). Rolling Stone hailed them as a great band “whose Americana swing was so fun I went back to see them again the next day.”

[The Gryphon Theatre | 7:30pm | $15/$12/$10]

Steel Betty

October 19, 2018

Giddy high harmonies and funky bass solos for humans who like honey butter biscuits.

Distinctively Austin. Steel Betty lives at the crossroads of what makes Austin Texas the engine driving traditional music in America. Flavors of bluegrass, folk, blues, Tex-Mex, Old Time music, and classic country, are a reflection of today’s American music scene. Steel Betty, the hip, virtuosic trio, embraces Austin’s eclectic culture and brings this lively music out of Texas for the rest of the country to experience.

[BCPA Concert Hall | 7:30pm | $15/$12/$10]

Cirque Mechanics 42 Feet – A Menagerie of Mechanical Marvels

November 2, 2018

“The greatest contribution to the American circus since Cirque du Soleil.” -Spectacle Magazine

Cirque Mechanics was founded in 2004 by Boston native and German Wheel artist, Chris Lashua, after the success of his collaborative project with the Circus Center of San Francisco, Birdhouse Factory. Cirque Mechanics, although inspired by modern circus, finds its roots in the mechanical and its heart in the stories of American ingenuity. The shows, rooted in realism, display a raw quality, rarely found in modern circus, that makes their message timeless and relevant. The stories are wrapped in circus acrobatics, mechanical wonders and a bit of clowning around.

[A&S Auditorium | 7:30pm | $20/$17/$10]

The TEN Tenors

December 11, 2018

The TEN Tenors are undoubtedly one of Australia’s greatest entertainment success stories, with more than 90 million people worldwide witnessing their unmistakable charm, camaraderie and vocal power. Following 16 years of sell-out performances across the globe, including more than 2000 of their own headline concerts, The TEN Tenors have cemented their place as Australia’s premier classical-crossover group.

Celebrated for their colourful repertoire, breathtaking arrangements and powerful live performances, The TEN Tenors respectfully tip their hats not only to the great classical composers, but to contemporary music’s most popular artists. From Queen, Bowie, Lennon and Winehouse, an evening with The TEN Tenors is guaranteed to surprise and delight in equal measure.

[A&S Auditorium | 7:30pm | $20/$17/$10]

Flamenco Vivo Carlotta Santana

February 5, 2019

“…myriad shadings and a commanding rhythmic display…” -The New York Times

Flamenco Vivo Carlota Santana is America’s premier Spanish dance company, dedicated to the belief that the universal spirit of flamenco, a multicultural art form, has the power to build bridges between cultures. Our mission is to promote flamenco as a living art form and a vital part of the Hispanic heritage, produce quality dance works, foster cultural connections through our arts education programs and nurture our next generation of artists and educators.

[BCPA Main Stage | 7:30pm | $20/$17/$10]

Danish String Quartet

February 21, 2019

Embodying the quintessential elements of a fine chamber music ensemble, the Danish String Quartet has established a reputation for their integrated sound, impeccable intonation and judicious balance. With their technical and interpretive talents matched by an infectious joy for music-making and “rampaging energy” (The New Yorker), the quartet is in demand worldwide by concert and festival presenters alike. Since making their debut in 2002 at the Copenhagen Festival, the musical friends have demonstrated a passion for Scandinavian composers, who they frequently incorporate into adventurous contemporary programs, while also giving skilled and profound interpretations of the classical masters. The New York Times selected the quartet’s concerts as highlights of 2012 and 2015, praising “one of the most powerful renditions of Beethoven’s Opus 132 String Quartet that I’ve heard live or on a recording, and “the adventurous young members of the Danish String Quartet play almost everything excitingly.”

[BCPA Concert Hall | 7:30pm | $15/$12/$10]

Jeff Hamilton Trio

March 14, 2019

Cosponsored by University of Wyoming Jazz Studies

Originality is what versatile drummer Jeff Hamilton brings to the groups he performs with and is one of the reasons why he is constantly in demand, whether he is recording or performing with his trio, Oscar Peterson, Ray Brown, and countless others. The Jeff Hamilton Trio’s recording, It’s Hamilton Time, received enormous airplay while reaching #5 on the Gavin national jazz radio chart. The trio’s second release, Jeff Hamilton Trio-LIVE! was nominated by critics for best jazz recording in Germany in 1997. The trio’s second MONS release was entitled, Hands On. Hamilton House-Live at Steamers was the trio’s 2000 release.

[BCPA Concert Hall | 7:30pm | $15/$12/$10]

Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain

April 9, 2019

“They extract more than seems humanly possible from so small and so modest an instrument” -The New York Times

When The Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain began in 1985, the public opinion was that an orchestra consisting entirely of ukuleles in different sizes was a strange concept. This was something that attracted the founders. The Orchestra members at that time had experience of many kinds of music and yet had become tired of the conventions of the music business world as well as the conventions of performance and genre stereotyping which were prevalent at that time. The idea was to make something fresh and entertaining, both modern and old-fashioned, in a different style which deviated from the current performance fashion. People liked the result.

[BCPA Concert Hall | 7:30pm | $20/$17/$10]

Daniel Hsu

May 3, 2018

Cosponsored by University of Wyoming Symphony Orchestra

2017 Cliburn Bronze Medalist

Characterized by the Philadelphia Inquirer as a “poet…[with] an expressive edge to his playing that charms, questions, and coaxes,” 20-year-old American pianist Daniel Hsu captured the bronze medal and prizes for best performance of both the commissioned work and chamber music at the Fifteenth Van Cliburn International Piano Competition. Also a 2016 Gilmore Young Artist, first prize winner of the 2015 CAG Victor Elmaleh Competition, and bronze medalist of the 2015 Hamamatsu International Piano Competition, he is increasingly recognized for his easy virtuosity and bold musicianship. Playing, first, with the UW Symphony Orchestra on May 2, Hsu will play a solo recital on May 3.